Confounding
by GeeImKate
Summary: Something from Civil War. Re-Imagined scene. He wasn't completely blind about the fact that the captain harbor deep feelings of affection towards his beaming mechanic. And he knew enough science of women to vouch that his mechanic feels the same way.
**Author's Note:** This is a part of Captain America: Civil War movie. The scene after the final fight of Captain America and Ironman, re-imagined. I've had this idea in my head since the day i saw the film and i decided to write it down as a one shot. It's not much, just a snippet of my imagination. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Captain America or any of the characters. Only the OC.

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For a second the only thing Steve Rogers' mind could comprehend was the absence of sound. The pain on his chest followed after, then the pain on his back as he hit the wall and finally, the burning sensation on his skin which was the after shock of the attack. It happened so fast that he didn't have the time to shield himself. One second he was attacking Stark on the floor, punching him repeatedly then the next second he was flying off of Stark and into the wall.

She came out of the darkness. Her footsteps light and wobbly as she neared the three figures sprawled on the floor. The first thing the captain noticed was the bright light that came from her hand as she wore the fore arm of the Ironman. Every part of her was clean and unscathed, except for the iron hand that was partly damaged. Evidently, it's still working. She walked slowly towards the Ironman until she stood beside him, her arm still raised towards the captain defensively. There is a burning sting that lingers on his chest from her attack, but all thoughts of physical pain were washed off the captain's head immediately as he caught sight of her face.

She was broken, in more ways than one. Her face was rid of all emotions, save for the glistening line of tears on her cheeks. Steve knew that she had seen the tape. It was clear that she took it hard like Tony but the woman was less volatile. She stared at Captain America with a hint of indifference for the first time.

"Get up." Her eyes were void as her voice was monotonous. Those two words stung more than all of the captain's wounds put together.

" _Stella_ . ." Steve manage to say between shaky breaths. Taking a step to stand up, he held his shield on his side. He was hoping his open stance would lessen the tension. He would not fight her. He wasn't ready for that.

"Take your _friend_ and _go_." Her jaw tightened as she spoke of Bucky. Her words were blades, and they speared right through Steve Rogers' chest. She was siding with Tony, defending him the way he was defending Bucky. This was a total shift. Steve stood up to face the stark-mechanic, a mixture of sadness and pain in his eyes as he returned her gaze.

Steve had been in grief from the moment he realized he'd have to face his friends. The Avengers were more than just a team to him, it was his family. The new rules that were placed upon their team tore them in half and with Bucky being mixed in this whole mess, he just had to step out of line. It was also in his grief's account that Tony had to find out about his parent's death this way. He had hurt a friend in order to save a friend. It was a hard decision but Steve couldn't let Bucky die, he won't go through it again. He understood Tony's anger, and he pitied the Ironman for it but what was done cannot be changed and killing Bucky wouldn't help anyone.

Steve knew that this was the right thing.

Steve knew what mattered more.

Now however, he felt less noble as he stood there in front of her. The one person whose grief he was not prepared for. Stella had been in Howard and Maria's care since the age of twelve. She admired Howard's belief and was devoted to his company and what it stands for. She studied for them, worked for stark industries and watched over their son after their untimely death. She was every bit as heartbroken as Tony when they died. Stella was every bit of a Stark as Tony. Whether Tony considers her a sister or not, she was a daughter to Howard and Maria.

And Bucky, the one Steve was protecting, was the one who killed Howard and Maria, the one who killed the people who Stella considered as her adoptive parents. She had every right to be mad at him. They both had the right.

All he could do was stare back at her. Plead with his eyes. To hope that somehow, in some way, in time she could forgive him for what he had done.

"Stella please understand . . . I had no other option." Nothing registers in her grey eyes. Not the softness of his tone, nor the sight of him in grief. Nothing. All Stella could see right now was how he fought Tony, how he protected the person who killed his parents, her family. Stella understood that he was left in a tough position and she didn't want to think that his actions borderlines betrayal and disloyalty, but there really isn't much left to say.

"You're not Captain America anymore."

Understanding what she truly meant by that, Steve could only close his eyes. The pool of rejection swallowed him whole, slowly he drowned in it with no way of resurfacing. Knowing that there is nothing he could possibly do at this point to resolve this, the captain had no other choice but turn towards his friend. He fished him from the floor to help him up. Bucky could feel his pain, Bucky knew about Stella and Steve.

"Leave the shield." He heard her say as he took a last look towards her direction. Her voice cracked as she spoke. "Howard Stark made that Shield."

Tony watched Stella speak with wide eyes. He was both relieved and worried when his right arm dislodged from his suit and Stella blasted the captain off of him before the captain could plunged his shield down his arc reactor. He had not taken his eyes away from her face then, not even to look at Steve.

Tony understood her actions. He wasn't completely blind about the fact that the captain harbor deep feelings of affection towards his beaming mechanic. And he knew enough science of women to vouch that his mechanic feels the same way. Their relationship was far from official and Tony had grown bored watching it progress in an immensely slow pace. But he knew that it was there and that it was very much real.

It was confounding to Tony to hear Stella's words towards the captain. He knew she loved his parents just as much as he did. And it probably hurt her more to know that Steve had lied to them. Putting her feelings for Steve into account, a part of him was surprised that she physically attacked the captain, let alone send him away.

With a deep sigh, Steve Rogers dropped the shield in resignation. Knowing fully well that it would be the best thing to do to appease both sides. His chest swelled as he and Bucky start to leave, knowing that apart from his shield, he was also leaving his heart.

Eyes trailed on the ground where she stood, Tony sat there waiting for her to finish wiping her tears. It took a couple of minutes for Stella to compose herself before kneeling down to tend Tony's wounds.

"You let him go." He muttered, his tone still had a hint of anger. She didn't give him a quick response, instead she took her time to remove and return the iron hand to Tony. After a long minute of checking his injuries, she took a deep breath.

"It hurts." She held his hand under hers. "But he is right. Revenge will do you no good. It would change nothing." Tony closed his eyes as he heard her voice, sensing she's about to cry again. "It- It won't bring them back and - quite frankly if they could see us, it won't make t-them happy."

"You love him." Tony knew this was probably the worst time to say it, but he did anyway. It was selfish, knowing that he was putting salt on her wound to make his more bearable.

"And it will be my pain to bear." She whispered sadly. Tony scoffed, typical Stella, he should have known she'd say something selfless. The woman was five years younger than him and yet most of the time she seems to be the mature one. Tony sighed exasperatedly. In all honesty, Tony knows that Stella doesn't deserve the heart ache, but undeniably Steve Rogers does. And there is nothing more he wants right now than to have Steve Rogers suffer, even if Stella had to suffer along with him.

Stella knew this. She knew Tony. Understood him more than anyone else.

"He loves you." Tony muttered darkly, finally looking her in the eye. He could see her grieving, her pain reflecting his. It was the first time she'd heard Tony speak of Steve's feelings and she could feel the needles in her chest at the thought that all of her inkling that past year about the captain's feelings towards her were _true_.

After a long sigh, she smiled.

"Then he clearly made the wrong choice now, did he?" She concluded, holding back the tears that threatens to escape again. It was the saddest smile she ever gave him, and he was sure it will be etched on his mind for a long time.

Despite of how she feels for the Cap, Stella stayed with Tony. She was always behind him, always loyal, never leaving his side. Putting family above everything else, that's the kind of person she is. He never really understood how siblings work, but he knew that Stella was the closest thing he had for a sister. And surprisingly, to his content, he was all she has for a family as well.

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 **It's bittersweet but i hope you guys like it. If you have any thoughts, let me know.**

 **Kate :]**


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